


Mephistos Höllenrufe

by zebaoth



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Dancing, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Men Crying, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Rejection, Unrequited Love, Unrequited Tsukikana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-17 02:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4649286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebaoth/pseuds/zebaoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsukiyama teaches Kanae to waltz.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mephistos Höllenrufe

Strauss played softly on the antique record player, muted slightly by the grandfather clock in the parlor dolefully heralding the stroke of midnight. The song was an old one, and one that Kanae knew well. He stepped softly on the carpet, turning in circles with his arms outstretched, dancing with an invisible partner.

He was about to complete another circle of the room when he suddenly froze dead in his tracks.

There, leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, was his own Master Shuu. 

Kanae immediately lowered his arms to his sides, bowing to hide the furious blush on his face. "Forgive me, Master Shuu," he said. "I was being foolish."

"You certainly were," said Master Shuu. "Who was it who taught you to dance so poorly?"

Kanae looked up. It was not at all the sort of reply he had expected. "No one, sir," he said.

"You mean to tell me," Master Shuu said, "that in all your 18 years, you have not _once_ been properly taught to waltz?"

"No, sir." 

"Well, such a travesty must be remedied immediately," Master Shuu said. "I shall have to teach you." 

"Oh, but Master Shuu, you don't need to bother, I mean, your health has still not fully returned, and --" 

"Think nothing of it," said Master Shuu. "Anything to get me back on my feet." He stepped over to the record player and reset the needle to the beginning of the record. "Lovely choice, Kanae," he said. "No man knew waltzes better than Strauss. Who better to present here for your instruction?" 

The music began again. 

"Now," said Master Shuu, "to start, I will guide you. You must learn the steps backwards before you can do them forwards." 

Master Shuu took Kanae by the hand, and Kanae suddenly found himself in Master Shuu's arms. "Now," said Master Shuu. "Put your left hand on my shoulder." 

Kanae hesitated a moment, then obliged. 

"Now, I am going to lead. I will step forward with my left foot on the downbeat of the measure, and you will step backward with your right foot. On the second beat I will step forward with my right foot and you will step backward with your left foot. On the final beat, we bring our feet together. Come the next measure we do it again, but I will begin this time with my right foot and you with your left. Do you think you got all that?" 

Kanae wasn't sure, but he nodded anyway. 

And so they began. It was much faster than Kanae had thought it would be. Kanae stumbled for the first few steps, but Master Shuu's hands were firm and gentle in their guidance. 

Kanae's eyes darted down. He was suddenly very conscious of Master Shuu's hand on his waist. 

Master Shuu seemed to sense his uneasiness. 

"Don't think about it so hard," he said. "Just listen to the rhythm of the music and let it become natural, like breathing. Think of the joy you feel when you play the violin." 

Kanae did his best to steady his breathing, watching his own clumsy steps among Master Shuu's smooth elegant movements.

"Don't look at your feet," said Master Shuu. "Look at your partner."

"Do you mean I should look at you, Master Shuu?"

"Well, I said so, didn't I?"

Kanae looked up. Master Shuu's face was very close to own. He felt his heart flutter in time with the vibration of the strings of the violins on the record player.

Suddenly, stepping in time to the music was easy.

"You see?" said Master Shuu. "You're getting better at this already."

Kanae smiled.

"In fact," said Master Shuu, "I think you're quite ready to try it the other way around." Master Shuu reached for Kanae's hand on his shoulder and guided it down to his waist. He then placed his hand on Kanae's shoulder. "Now," he said. "Begin with your left foot."

Kanae hesitated. "Whenever you're ready," Master Shuu prompted.

With a few halting steps, they were off. Kanae's steps were not as smooth as Master Shuu's had been, but they were in the right order, and they were in time with the music.

Master Shuu was smiling. "You're a natural," he said.

"Well, you're a good teacher," said Kanae, who hadn't stopped looking up at Master Shuu.

Suddenly, there was something different about his smile. It looked as though it was causing him pain.

"Master Shuu?" said Kanae. "Is something the matter? You don't look well. Do you want to stop?"

"No, I'm fine," said Master Shuu. "It's just. Something I used to think about so often, many years ago. It's foolish."

Kanae wasn't sure what to say. "Whatever it is, Master Shuu, I'm sure it's not foolish."

Master Shuu's eyes were wistful and far away. "Perhaps you might not think so," he said. "How strange it is, that I used to imagine myself teaching Kaneki to waltz, just as I am now with you."

"Oh," said Kanae.

"As I said," said Master Shuu. "Foolish, really." He sighed. "Quite foolish. Although, Kanae, that is not to say that there is anything wanting in your company."

"Thank you, sir," Kanae said. "I quite enjoy the time we spend together, myself."

"I am pleased to hear it," said Master Shuu. "You have always been a dear friend. I don't know where I would be without you."

"I'm sure you would have managed."

"Kanae?" Master Shuu said.

"Yes, Master Shuu?" said Kanae.

"You're still dancing, but the music has stopped."

Kanae froze. "I hadn't noticed." For an enchanted moment, they stood perfectly still in each other's arms, gazing into each other's eyes.

On a wild impulse, Kanae closed his eyes and leaned up for a kiss, but Master Shuu broke away.

Kanae opened his eyes, horrified at the magnitude of what he had done.

"Kanae," Master Shuu said. "I'm sorry if you... misunderstood..." Kanae searched Master Shuu's face for any trace of disgust or anger but all he saw was shock. Kanae felt his throat closing up. Master Shuu was still talking. "Kanae, I... I never meant to... _mislead_ you in any way..."

Kanae turned and ran. "Kanae, wait!" Master Shuu called after him, but it was too late. Kanae ran until he was alone in the garden, fell to his knees, and wept.

It was a clear night, full of stars.


End file.
